


It's Definitely the Library

by FoxyDangerfluff (Argent_Vulpine)



Category: Changeling (Visual Novel)
Genre: Canon Divergence, F/M, Librarian - Freeform, Library, Post Game, Wizard, somewhat canon compliant
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-01
Updated: 2019-02-01
Packaged: 2019-10-20 15:05:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,196
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17624672
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Argent_Vulpine/pseuds/FoxyDangerfluff





	It's Definitely the Library

The Murder might have told her  _ what _ she was, why the sleepwalking was happening, and the changes that awaited her if - when - she got her own body back, but in the end, it was Brenna who had given Vilos a vial of potion and basic instructions in its use on how to send the Changeling home and return Nora’s soul to her own body. 

It had been Vilos who had helped her through it. He’d arranged for the location of the ritual, he’d set it up, he had been the one to explain to her what was likely to happen - as best as he could, given the circumstances. When Nora’s body - freshly reunited with her soul - was returned, he had taken her to the club room straightaway, had arranged for Ally to leave a note at Nora’s home indicating she was spending the day with her friend.

It had taken the better part of the day for the three of them to piece Nora’s memories back together, aided by the other club members trickling in and out, each one creating a new jumble of memories falling back into place. There were still some things she couldn’t quite recall, though; the times she’d disappeared were still blank spaces in her mind. And she was told she would still have stray memories returning for some time, and some might even be lost for good.

Nora had felt… overwhelmed, really, by the entire ordeal. And who could blame her? She’d found solace in the library, and didn’t seem to mind the fact that Vilos very rarely spoke to her. It was nice to just sit and read or study in relative peace and quiet, something she didn’t get anywhere else.

And then… then it wasn’t long until she was graduating. She and Ally had elected to attend a Cryptic university, somewhere that had classes for people like them. Magical defense and offense in particular drew her attention, and she signed up for them as soon as possible.

But… there was always something a little wrong, a little off. Almost two months into her first semester away and missing home fiercely, Nora found exactly what she needed.

The portal door required the same knocks she’d grown used to, and she stepped into a welcome, comforting library, armed with a new set of knocks to get her back to the university. A familiar sight greeted her: Vilos was in his customary position, book in hand. She stood a moment, door still open behind her, and surveyed the scene, relief filling her. Nothing had really changed. Good.

He looked up when she closed the door behind her, a confused frown briefly crossing his features. “Miss Lewis?” he asked, before understanding dawned. “Ah, the university portal, I presume.”

She nodded as she walked over, letting the scent of the books settle around her. “Yeah. Their library isn’t bad and all, but it doesn’t hold a candle to this one.” And not just in reading material. There were just  _ so many people _ at the university.

Vilos seemed pleased to hear that, but the expression didn’t last long; she almost thought perhaps she’d imagined it. “Well, I’m certain their library is more than adequate for the curricula they provide.”

“Oh, it is… it’s just also very… loud.”

He nodded understandingly at that. “There are many more students there than at Stone Circle, and with less structured time. It would certainly be more chaotic than what you are accustomed to.” He thought a moment, hesitant, but finally nodded once, decisively. “I do not mind if you wish to continue studying here. Please do let me know if there’s anything I might assist you with.”

Nora let out a breath of relief she hadn’t realized she’d been holding and offered him a small, grateful smile. “In that case… I do have a project I could use some pointers on…”

 

* * *

 

It became a regular occurrence after that. At least once a week - more if she could manage - she would go to the library. Mostly she went alone; sometimes one of her other fellow former club members would go with her. Ally was the most regular companion, followed by Spencer, which had surprised her at first. She was still somewhat getting used to having her brother back in the way she’d always hoped she would.

Still, though, she liked going alone. Sometimes she would talk to Vilos about her studies, what she’d chosen to major in, projects she was doing. Other times she would just ask for a book and then go quietly read at one of the tables.

He’d join her, sometimes, abandoning his desk. The first few times that happened, she’d been confused. It wasn’t until Ally pointed out that he could be more relaxed around her now that she wasn’t a student at Stone Circle that it made more sense. He  _ had _ seemed to be steadily relaxing around her, smiling a bit more often, even making the occasional joke.

When she’d vanished for almost two weeks, no visits at all, he’d seemed both concerned and relieved when Nora had finally returned, exhausted but happy to report that her finals were complete and she’d passed all her classes that semester.

During the times she went home for break, she did occasional work for the agency - mostly related to Faerie activity - and continued stopping by the library, though she usually went through The Murder then, grabbing a coffee and saying hi to Corvin and his brothers on the way.

On one such visit, she was in the library reading when Shelly came in, a younger girl in tow. From the look on the girl’s face, she was just awakening to the Cryptic world and looked to be about as overwhelmed as Nora herself had been. “Vilos, this is the girl I mentioned… oh! Hi Nora! I didn’t know you would be here.”

Nora set down her book and smiled at the Witch. “Good to see you, Shelly. I didn’t realize it was after school already.” She pushed her chair back and stood, stretching out the kinks that had developed from sitting so long. “Who’s your friend?” she asked, smiling at the girl.

“Oh, this is Meredith Brand. Actually… maybe you could help?”

Nora glanced over at Vilos inquisitively, and he simply shrugged. “I don’t see why not. You have done a rather extensive amount of research into various Cryptics. Perhaps even more than your peers.”

That was true. When she was still trying to figure out what she was, she’d kind of poked around into everything, and her fascination with the Cryptic world and its denizens had kept her going. “All right, then. Hi Meredith, I’m Nora. Do you mind if I ask what happened?” She asked that of both girls, gesturing for them to take seats at the table. Vilos joined them soon after, and the girls described the incidents in question - accidental magic, seeing things, and so on.

It ruled out the non-magical races, like Werewolves and Vampires, which was a solid start. Shelly and Vilos ruled out Witch, though Nora still wasn’t sure the process behind that. She’d have to ask Ally eventually.

It didn’t leave a whole lot, and the markers pointed more toward Fae than anything else. Meredith’s memories were firmly intact, though; no odd disappearances or huge gaps in memory for her, which ruled out Changeling, at least, to everyone’s immense relief. Nora’s experiences had been more than enough for all of them, she was certain.

And, based on the descriptions of some of the things the girl had been seeing…

“Well, I think you’ve got Fae heritage. It sounds a lot like me and Spencer when we were younger - and him now, for that matter. Some magic, seeing Faeries. But…”

“But it could be a situation where Fae traits would assert themselves later, and without knowing the Faerie heritage, we will need to be cautious for a while still.” That was Vilos’ input. From what they’d learned through Ewan, the magical abilities could come first and then the rest might come crashing in later.

At least Meredith wouldn’t have to deal with Brenna; with Elliot and Ewan both out of high school, she had elected to stop showing up, which was probably better for Vilos and the club, at any rate. Fae through and through, Brenna had been a very mercurial presence, and it was likely a relief not to have to deal with her any longer.

Nora just felt sorry for whomever had to deal with her now.

“I’m happy to help out when I can. Classes for me don’t start for another couple weeks, and then I won’t be around quite as much, but if there’s anything you need me for…”

“I can send for you,” supplied Vilos. “I trust your number is the same as before?” When she nodded affirmation, he continued. “Then I will simply contact you if something occurs that requires your aid. That way I can evaluate if it is something beyond our control.” That last was directed more toward Meredith and Shelly, a pointed statement that he should be kept in the loop of developments.

Nora didn’t think Shelly would keep him in the dark, though, not like she and Ally had. She flushed a little at the memory, how long it had taken for them to come clean about the sleepwalking, and then at what she’d found out from The Murder. He’d been nothing but helpful - if stern at times - and she was… well, regretting it a bit.

But that was in the past, and all things considered, he seemed to understand what had been going on through her mind.

“It seems like everything’s taken care of then, until we’ve got more information. I do need to run, now, though. Promised Mom I’d help out at the house, and I’ve the Brownie to placate. He hasn’t been too thrilled about Spencer and I going off to university,” she added, when concerned looks were turned her way.

“Thank you for your help today, Nora. It’s good to have a better idea of what we’re looking at.” Shelly gave her a soft smile, patting Meredith’s shoulder encouragingly.

“Yeah, thanks a lot. I’m still… confused by all this, but… it’s good to know  _ something _ .” The younger girl looked a little less overwhelmed than when she’d first come in. A good sign; a good start, too.

“I expect I shall see you again soon, Miss Lewis. Do be safe returning home.”

She grinned at the three of them. “I don’t mind helping at all. And I’ll be safe!” She opened the door to the club room, muttering  _ ‘worrywort’ _ under her breath as she stepped through. It must not have been quiet enough, because Meredith burst into giggles as she was closing the door behind her.

 

* * *

 

Vilos kept her updated on Meredith’s progress every time she visited the library, after that, but it wasn’t until her second year of college that he actually called her. Not a text, as she’d expected might happen, but a phone call. Thankfully she wasn’t in class at the time, so she stepped to the side of the hall, into a quiet alcove, and answered.

“Vilos? This is unexpected. Is something wrong with Meredith?”

“She still has not exhibited any Fae traits, however, there has been an attempt to spirit her away. Miss Lawrence has provided her with banes as she did for you, however, we are hoping you might have more specialized knowledge.”

“You’re keeping her safe in the club room, I take it?” she asked, frowning when someone bumped into her but managing - just barely - not to shout at them. “I’ll let my next professor know I’ve got to skip and then head that way.”

“It would be most appreciated, Miss Lewis.”

They made their brief farewells and hung up, and then Nora was darting out into the sea of students, fighting to get to her next class in time to catch the professor. Thankfully, the woman was a Cryptic and had been made aware of the situation after Nora had first met Meredith, so as soon as she was informed the general idea of what was going on, she waved the girl off, saying she would email her the day’s lesson and please to have it with her the next class.

It was also her last class of the day, for which she was grateful as she made her way to the university’s version of the club room - magically spelled against non-Cryptic students - and to the port inside that would take her to the library.

She dropped her book bag on a table with a loud  _ thump _ and then returned to the door, opening it up to the club room where she found Vilos and Meredith. Vilos was stationed with his focus on the door, clearly waiting for her arrival.

“Okay, I’m here. What’s the scoop?” she asked, settling into a wing back chair and facing the sofa where the girl sat.

Meredith was clearly shaken by whatever had occurred, because it took her a moment to gather herself and explain what had occurred.

Someone - she thought it was a female - had grabbed her as she was passing over a bridge to get to town. She recalled a dim glow, shimmering air, and slender hands, but hadn’t been able to fully see what had grabbed her. There had been singing, too, from the creek beneath the bridge. It wasn’t the Spriggan - he’d remained wherever he’d been relocated to - but something about the description sounded familiar to her.

“Ah… Vilos, do you suppose you could get a book for me? It’s called  _ Faeries and Elementals _ , I believe.”

He nodded and moved to the door, knocking sharply and stepping through. She could hear the distinctive whistle of his, waited a ten count from it, and then he was shutting the door, book in hand. “Is this the one you wished for, Miss Lewis?” he asked, offering it to her.

She glanced down at the familiar leather binder, fingers tracing the embossing on the front. “Yeah, this is it.” Nora flipped through the pages to a section called ‘Faeries of Air’ and pointed to an artistic depiction of a Sylph. “Is this kind of what you saw?” she asked, turning the book so that Meredith could see.

The girl nodded, eyes wide.

“That’s a Sylph,” she said, glancing toward Vilos. “Though the singing was probably an Undine, if it was near water.” She tapped her fingers on the book thoughtfully, considering what could be done. “Vilos, might I have a word?” she asked, standing.

“Yes, of course. Please stay here, Miss Brand. We shall return shortly.”

The two of them stepped into the library, closing the door firmly behind them. Nora sighed and turned to look up at him, running a hand through her hair, the other clutching the book. “After Ewan, Spencer, and then me… if it looks like I’m helping her, it’ll just cause more problems.”

He nodded carefully, understanding. Fae were fickle, that was well known. “You will be unable to assist her outside of these spaces.”

“Pretty much. I can recommend some stronger banes, things she could have come across from reading, but it’s up to her to use them. The Sylph won’t be easy to spot if she doesn’t want to be. You could probably relocate the Undine, though. Somewhere with a big waterfall, they really like those.”

“You are concerned the Court would take greater measures if they knew you were aiding her?”

“They haven’t exactly been known to be nice about things. They only returned me because they had to, not because they particularly wanted to. I guarantee they’re still watching me just as much as they’re watching her.” She’d learned that the hard way, when one had tried to trick her into a contract shortly after she’d started attending the university.

Vilos didn’t need to know about that incident, though.

Nora set the book down and moved to her bag, rummaging through the pockets until she found what she was looking for. She tore out a piece of paper and grabbed a pen, scribbling down a few items and basic descriptions. “These are all pretty simple banes she could keep with her. I’ll explain them to her when we go back to the club room, but, Vilos… they might give up on her after a while, but if she ever does assert fully Fae, it’ll just get worse.”

She and Ewan had had a long conversation about his trials, dealing with the Court. And she’d thought she’d had it bad as a Changeling. Being on the brink like Meredith was, not knowing one way or another… that had to be thoroughly unpleasant. 

“I appreciate your frankness about this, and your prompt response, either way, Miss Lewis.”

There was a pause, and then she snorted softly. “Are you ever going to drop the formality?” she asked, shaking her head.

His brow furrowed, mouth opening slightly as if to respond before he shut it again, thoughtful. Finally he sighed, the hint of a smile on his features. “I will endeavor to be less formal when there are no students around… Nora.”

She grinned up at him. “That wasn’t so bad, was it?” she asked, laughing. “All right, let’s go reassure Meredith that it’s not the end of the world. Unless there’s some Ancient at risk of being awoken or something.”

“I assure you that happens only rarely… and usually around Samhain.”

Nora narrowed her eyes at him suspiciously. Was that… had he just told a joke? It was hard to tell, but she was almost certain he had. She hadn’t even realized he was fully capable of it, honestly.

“Then let’s be grateful that it’s only just past midsummer,” she retorted, moving to the door. He followed, and the pair returned to reassure the girl and give her what insight they could on how to keep the fickle Faeries at bay.

 

* * *

 

Things fell back into a fairly normal routine after that. Nora would go to the library as usual, at least once a week. If anyone from the club was there, it would be ‘Miss Lewis’ and she and Vilos would barely speak aside from checking in on Meredith and requesting books - when Nora didn’t go to retrieve them herself.

If they were alone - or if his partner Guess was there - he would call her Nora. Most of the time, at least. The first time Guess had been present, she’d looked between the two of them, smirking, but said nothing. Now any time Nora came in and Guess was there, the older woman would greet her with that same slight smirk and then oftentimes take her leave, usually muttering about ‘checking in on William’ or ‘other things to do for the agency’.

She saw the other woman so rarely that it didn’t really occur to her that it was more than just an odd coincidence.

Nora was just stepping into the library when she saw Guess already headed toward the door. Since the woman was likely going somewhere else through the port, she stepped inside quickly, offering a smile. “Already leaving?” she asked, moving aside so the door could shut and Guess could go through. 

Sometimes the mechanics of the portals were really annoying.

“Yep! Agency needs me. We’ve got some nasties left over from Samhain. I’ve got to pick up William for this one.”

That made Nora pause. She’d been aware of Samhain, of course - the tingling sensation crawling across her skin hadn’t allowed her to forget it - but Drifters were not as big an issue at the university. They were able to just slide on through, and with such a large Cryptic population, dealing with them had been easy enough. And if Guess was meeting up with William, then it had to be pretty hefty. Strange that he hadn’t just come to the library, though.

“Good luck and stay safe,” she finally said. “I don’t… know much about your baddies, but if they’re anything like the Fae, well… yeah. Stay safe.”

Guess nodded and gave a jaunty wave as she left, shutting the door firmly behind her. Vilos was already standing as Nora made her way over to him, a slight smile quirking up the corners of his lips.

“I have to say I am somewhat surprised to see you today, Nora,” he said, setting down the book he’d been perusing.

“Oh? Why’s that?” Was there something she was forgetting? School had been crazy with projects lately. She was about to enter her final year of undergrad, and the workload had only been getting more intense. Enough she was doubting if she wanted to try for graduate school or ot. It wasn’t like she  _ had _ to, really, but… it couldn’t hurt, either. “Now you’re making me feel like I’ve forgotten something.”

He raised an eyebrow, clearly more amused than before. “I would have thought you’d be celebrating your birthday with your brother and friends.”

She huffed out a laugh, one hand going to her forehead. “Aha… that. My birthday. Yes, that is… a thing, isn’t it? I should text Spencer. He’s probably out with Ally anyway. I’ll be right back.” She fished her phone out of her pocket, stepping briefly into the club room - since the library seemed to eat cell phone signal - and shot her twin a quick text, wishing him a happy birthday and for him to have fun on his date - but please spare her any details.

Not too long after she received replies - from him  _ and _ Ally - wishing her a good birthday, too. “There, birthday duties done!” she said brightly as she came back through the door, grinning at Vilos. “I suppose I should thank you for reminding me. It’s been so busy, I can’t believe I forgot…”

“No one else to spend the day with?” he asked. “That’s surprising.”

Well, it wasn’t like she was dating. She’d tried a few times since starting university, but no one had really stuck. She was closer to her former clubmates and Vilos than to anyone she’d met at the university; Marc, Danny, and Elliot were perhaps her closest friends, weirdly enough, if she wasn’t counting Ally… or Vilos, at this point.

“Nora?” 

Her name drew her back to the conversation. She shrugged, leaning against his desk. “Sorry. No. Not really. I don’t want to third-wheel my best friend, you know? And it’s not that big a deal.”

“I see. If you had remembered, would you have made any plans at all?” He seemed genuinely curious about that.

Nora shot him a small smile, shaking her head. “Probably not. I still would have ended up here, I think. I like the library.” And talking to Vilos, but she wasn’t about to say that. She’d been aware of a growing crush - if that was the right word - for quite some time, but…

Well, there were a lot of complications to that.

“It is possible that I’ve realized that,” he remarked. When she narrowed her eyes at him, he simply shrugged. “You are, after all, here quite often, despite having a library available at your university. It speaks volumes, that you still choose to come here.”

“Mm, well… it’s quieter here. Looks nicer, too. Why are college students so messy?” she huffed, annoyed.

“Many of them are on their own for the first time, with fewer rules governing their lives. Your non-Cryptic fellows especially are prone to going… crazy, as it were. They lack the control you and your peers have obtained.”

Okay, she hadn’t actually expected an answer, much less such a logical and straightforward one. It wasn’t all that surprising, though, when she considered it. “Yeah, that checks out.” She hopped up onto his desk, noting the frown he shot her, but since he took his seat again without saying anything, she ignored it, instead turning until she was facing him. “Even so, they take that mess  _ everywhere _ , it feels like. The dorms, the cafeteria, the student center… nowhere is safe, not even the library. So it’s nice to get away from that.”

“Your room does not suffice? You were sharing with Miss Fisher, were you not?”

“Well, yeah. We keep the room pretty tidy, but sometimes we need time away from each other, too. I think she’s going to move in with Spencer soon, though.” The heels of her boots knocked together softly as she thought. “I’m pretty sure I’ll still be coming here, even if she does.”

There was a long stretch of silence, and she felt her cheeks heat as it continued before Vilos finally broke it. “I’m happy to hear that.” He cleared his throat, glancing away from her. “It’s nice to have more people to talk to. Especially ones not in my care, so to say.”

Not Stone Circle club members. She might be obtuse sometimes, but his meaning there was pretty clear. She was no longer a student under his care (not that she’d been for long in the first place) and he was seeing her more like a peer. Her cheeks flushed again, pleased at what had to have been a compliment from him.

“I’m glad to break up the monotony for you.” Nora gave a small laugh at the look on his face. “What, you mean it isn’t?”

“Perhaps if there were no Fae involved, it might be; however I feel that is a Sisyphean task, not worth even attempting.”

She snorted at that. “Big word there, bet you don’t get to use that one often, do you?” The slight smirk he gave her was answer enough. “You haven’t updated me on Meredith yet today, so I’m going to take a wild guess and say that she’s doing well.”

“She’s nearly reached majority, still no assertion of Fae traits, and the Court seems to have halted their attempts. We are treating her as human with magic. She does not have quite your capacity to see Fae, so it seems safe to consider that route for her.”

“Lucky her. I’m glad to hear she’s doing well. Speaking of Faeries, though, did you know you’ve got some sort of tutelary spirit living here?” she asked with a grin.

“I… was not aware. Of course, I cannot see them normally. How long have you known?”

“Not long, actually. I kind of suspected? But he was really good at staying hidden, even from me. I caught him sweeping off the top of a bookcase one day a couple weeks ago. He must think this is a really big house.” A pause, and another grin. “Do you ever actually go home?” That last was said with a teasing tone, hazel eyes dancing with amusement.

Vilos sighed heavily. “I do  _ not _ live in the Athenaeum, I hope you are aware.”

“Maybe so, but ‘grumpy Wizard that lives in the library’ is a lot of fun to say.”

He stared at her for a long moment before removing his glasses to pinch the bridge of his nose. “So that’s where that club rumor started. Nora…”

She giggled at his expression. “I didn’t start it intentionally, I’ll have you know. Just… people overheard me talking to Ally…”

“And one thing led to another?”

“Well…” She shrugged, grinning. “Maybe if you’d ever actually be out of the library when they come by, it wouldn’t be such an easy sell.” A pause as she considered it, before she added, “And the club room doesn’t count.”

“I shall keep that in mind for the future,” he muttered, giving a small shake of his head before leveling his gaze at her, steel grey eyes almost seeming to catalog what he was seeing. “You truly intend to spend your birthday here?” he finally asked, a note of disbelief in his tone.

“I don’t see why I shouldn’t.” Nora shrugged, tapping her fingers on the dark wood of his desk. “We’ve just gone over this, or did you forget already?” He made a sound suspiciously like a scoff, and she chuckled softly. “I like it here, and it’s not like I’d made any other plans.”

“If you’re certain…” He still seemed dubious. “Would you like a book to pass the time?”

That made her pause. She hadn’t come to the library with any particular reading in mind; it had been more of an automatic destination for her, somewhere to go where she felt comfortable - her crush on Vilos aside - and safe. “Why don’t you pick something?” she finally asked.

Vilos frowned slightly, his brow furrowed at the unusual request. Nora had always had some new book for him to retrieve, if she wasn’t going to find it herself. Being able to choose for her…

After a moment’s consideration, he let out a shrill whistle. Nora turned slightly, tracking the book with her eyes as it came floating out of the stacks and into Vilos’ waiting hands. It had a leather cover, dyed a rich blue and embossed with silver leaf; it also looked well-worn and loved, judging from the polished spots on the leather, sign of countless times being held.

“I’m not sure I’ll ever actually get used to seeing you do that,” she remarked, accepting the book when he offered it to her. Her fingers lightly traced the cover, eliciting a frown when she felt a tingle. “Magic?” she asked, glancing up at him.

“Well, yes. This book contains incantations, glyphs… a variety of spells and similar. I know you were studying defensive and offensive spellwork, but it is unlikely they have covered many of the ones in here.” He glanced away briefly. “I do ask that you not attempt any of these unsupervised, however I thought you might… enjoy seeing some of the possibilities that may become available to you as you progress.”

Nora felt her cheeks warm as she opened the cover, flipping through a few pages to see the sorts of things that were in store for her. “Thank you, Vilos,” she said, quiet. “I promise I won’t attempt anything without consulting you first.”

He looked pleased to hear that. “I would appreciate you doing so.” They were quiet a moment, as Nora continued looking through the pages, fascinated by what she was seeing. “Nora…” he started, hesitating until she looked up at him. “Happy birthday.”

She gave her brightest smile yet, happier than she’d expected to be. “Thank you, Vilos.”

It was turning out to be a pretty good day, after all.

 

* * *

 

Over the next few months, any time Nora was at the library, she would read the book, until she’d read it cover to cover numerous times. Only when she was certain she had a basic grasp of some of the incantations was she ready to approach Vilos about practicing.

Of course, she had to wait until after the equinox, leaving plenty of time before the summer solstice. She didn’t want to get in the way of anyone’s work for the agency, especially since she was still away at college. 

One year left before she graduated, and she’d already begun sending out applications for graduate school, though sometimes she questioned her own sanity for doing so.

She might not have done it at all, except Vilos had encouraged her to at least put in applications. Her lips quirked up at the thought as she opened the door to the library, breathing a deep sigh of relief as the familiar scent of books and something that was unique to the Athenaeum washed over her. It usually calmed her down, comforted her, but today it filled her with nervous energy, setting her heart racing.

Honestly it was something of a surprise that the beat of her heart alone didn’t alert Vilos to her presence, she was so sure it was that loud. Instead, he seemed engrossed enough in his book that he didn’t notice her until she was hopping up on his desk, startling him. It was clear he’d been about to admonish whomever had disturbed him, until he saw who it was; his mouth snapped shut almost immediately, only to emit a sigh a moment later.

“You are lucky that I don’t tend to keep a cluttered desk,” he commented wryly, moving a few books to make more space for her. Not that she need a whole lot in the first place, small as she was. Still, she took advantage of the opening and turned slightly, facing him. “Shall I retrieve the book for you?”

“Well, yes, but I wanted to talk to you about that, actually,” she said, suddenly more nervous than before. “I’d kind of… like to try out a couple of the spells.” The last bit came out in a rush, and she flushed and looked away.

He was silent, and she was just beginning to worry when Vilos finally spoke. “You  _ have _ read it quite a few times. I was rather wondering how long it would be until you felt ready enough to try.” He pushed his chair back, drawing her attention back to him, and stood, coming around to the front of his desk where he paused, looking down at her, considering.

She tilted her head up slightly, hazel eyes meeting grey, and the two stayed like that for a moment, until they both looked away. “Right, so… I’m ready to try. And you didn’t want me to do so ‘unsupervised’, so here I am.” In truth, she probably could have gone to her magic instructor at the university, or perhaps to Ally, but… it had been Vilos who’d shown her the book, and a not-insignificant part of her wanted it to be him who helped her.

Of course, that was probably her crush talking, too; it hadn’t gone away, and instead only seemed to grow as the months went by, but he’d made no show of being interested in her in that way, and she was content to simply be… whatever it was they were. Friends, she supposed.

Her inner thoughts were interrupted by the familiar sound of his whistle, and she watched a little enviously as the book just… flew into his hands. “Can I learn how to do that?” she asked, only half-joking.

“I could try to teach it to you, if you wanted. Though your magic seems best suited for other things.”

He stepped away from the desk, offering a hand for her to steady herself with as she wiggled to the edge, stretching her toes until she could just touch the floor. She made a face and took his hand, feeling her heart flutter at the contact. “Attacking and defending. You can just come out and say it like that, you know.” She smiled, shrugging. “Ally’s been trying to convince me to take more field operations because of it.”

“It would not be a bad career path for you, if you desired to take that route. The agency is always in need of more field agents, especially ones as capable as you.”

“Ooh, a rare compliment!” Nora grinned up at him. “I’ll admit I’ve considered it, at least on a… part-time basis, I guess?” It wasn’t as if she couldn’t have her regular job and still do occasional work for the agency, after all. It was similar to what she’d been doing at the university, actually; they paid for her room and board and a little extra as long as she kept her grades up and did the occasional work dealing with Cryptics as needed.

“I believe you would do well at it,” he replied, the smile he turned on her almost fond. “Which… that is not the main reason I wanted you to see this book to begin with, but it had been on my mind, as well. All that remains to be seen is your aptitude with the more complex spellwork the book encompasses.”

He gestured for her to follow, so she did, grateful that he shortened his stride to match her smaller one. “If not that, then… why  _ did _ you show me the book?” she asked, curious.

“Ah, well, partly due to your aptitude with combat magic, so to say. I knew you hadn’t read it, but from other books you’ve borrowed, it seemed within your interests, as well.”

That made her pause, and he stopped to look at her inquisitively. “Do you remember everything people have borrowed from the library?” That seemed an incredible feat; surely there were others who had read through just as many books as she had, if not more.

His cheeks went a little pink, and Vilos looked away, embarrassed. “I don’t remember everyone, no.”

Just some people. Like her. “Huh,” she said, and resumed walking in the direction they’d been headed. Vilos soon caught up, again walking beside her while guiding her to a door she’d never seen before. He knocked and murmured something; another portal, then.

She was ready for it to open somewhere not the library. She was  _ not _ ready for  _ where _ it opened up.

Vilos gestured for her to step through first, and so she did, out onto a broad stretch of land that was warm and green and… empty of any buildings whatsoever save for the small shack the port was attached to. “Where is this?” she asked, walking around the very little building, her brows knitting together.

After all this time, she ought to have stopped being surprised by these things, but sometimes it was just too much not to be.

“South Italy, I believe in Calabria.” He nodded toward the mountains enclosing their valley. “The terrain allows for hidden pockets such as this, and local Witches and Wizards keep the protections fresh. It is an ideal space for training with particularly active spells.”

“Good way to avoid property damage, I guess.” If there was no property around to damage, then there was nothing to worry about. It made perfect sense. She’d just have to remember not to aim anywhere close to the shack… though it was probably protected from stray spells or something.

“Indeed it is.” He opened the book, flipping through to the first spell, and studied it for a moment. “As you are aware, many spells do not require verbal incantations or physical components.”

“But these are different. Because of their complexity, they need one or even both to work properly. Right?”

“Most of them, yes, that is so. The ones requiring glyphs are different. The most skilled caster can simply envision the glyph, but it is recommended that you sketch them in the air as you cast, until you are familiar with the magic involved.”

Vilos turned away from her and demonstrated, his fingers deftly drawing in the air in front of him. She could just barely make out a shimmer of magic as he cast the spell, sending a blast of heat away from him. It was hot enough to char the tips of the grass along the path of the spell.

“Whoa…” Nora’s eyes were wide as she surveyed the damage. “I wouldn’t want to be a person caught up in that…”

“I do ask that you avoid using these against people until you have more control, and also only if absolutely necessary. As you might imagine, that spell - and others like it - are capable of doing lasting damage.”

“Noted. I… think some of these would definitely be last resorts.” She wasn’t too keen on the thought of hurting anyone, even if that person was a Cryptic trying to kill her. Nora definitely preferred helping people, but sometimes… sometimes fighting was the only way.

“I’m glad to hear it.” He handed the book to her, pointing at the glyph on the page. “I want you to try sketching that as I did. While you do, picture it in your mind as well. Imagine where you want the spell to go, how intense you want it to be.”

She studied the symbol carefully, her fingers tracing it, feeling a tingle of magic building on her skin as she did. When she thought she had it memorized, she turned, facing the same direction Vilos had, and carefully repeated the gesture; her hand traced the glyph in the air even as she conjured its image in her head. When she reached the final swirl, she gave the accompanying incantation - something he had not needed to do - and her magic almost seemed to explode away from her.

There was more than a shimmer; actual flames licked out along the path of her magic, scorching the earth until the fire dissipated some ten feet or so feet away. Her eyes widened and she turned to look at him. “Why did I have  _ fire _ ? You just had… really intense heat. That’s all it was supposed to be…”

He smiled slightly. “Control. You’re used to lower level spellwork than this, so you haven’t quite reached the level of control necessary. That’s why I didn’t want you to practice these without someone. They can be quite dangerous if the magic escapes your grasp.”

Vilos held his hand out for the book, and she gave it to him wordlessly. “Now, try it again. Focus on the spell, how you want it to be. You want heat but no fire. That is the end goal.” He moved to stand behind her, a warm, comforting presence at her back.

She was grateful that he couldn’t see the blush that graced her face with its presence.

Nora took in a deep, steadying breath and returned her focus to the task at hand. This time, though there were still flames, they were not as prominent. She only just stopped a frustrated groan from rising; getting it completely right on only the second try was too much to ask and she knew it.

She lifted her arm, preparing to try again, when Vilos’ hand covered hers gently. “Use just one or two fingers. Narrow down the focus of the glyph,” he said, his voice soft as he folded her fingers. “It may assist in the mental image you need.”

“Th-thanks,” she stuttered, heart beating wildly. It didn’t mean anything. He was just showing her a better way to focus, that was all.

She tried again, and again, and again, each time adjusting in small ways as he pointed them out, until finally he called a halt. When she moved to protest, he held up a hand and frowned at her. “Magic is draining, as you well know. We’ve been here long enough for today.”

“But-”

“No, Nora. You need to rest. We can continue another day.” He gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze. “I know you want to get it right immediately, but…”

“But these are more complex spells and it would be surprising if I got them right on the first go,” she finished for him, huffing. “I know. If you think it’s time to go, then… it’s time to go.”

He looked surprised that she wasn’t going to fight him any further on it, but the look softened into a small smile. They returned to the Athenaeum, walking in companionable silence until Vilos finally broke it. “Perhaps we should work on a schedule for your lessons?” he asked, as they walked back toward his desk.

“That… is actually very logical, yeah, we probably should do that.” She gave a soft laugh, mostly at herself. “I guess I really am more tired than I thought.” Really Nora should have been the one to make the suggestion; she was annoyed with herself that he had done so first.

He led her to one of the tables and pulled out a chair for her; she took it gratefully and leaned forward, resting her arms on the table while she watched him take the seat beside her. She’d always kind of known he was attractive, but hadn’t really allowed herself to start acknowledging it until recently; now it was an inescapable thought, with the way he was acting toward her.

It really was not good for her heart.

If he noticed the look she was giving him, he elected not to say anything. Instead, he began talking about her schedule, and the two spoke at length to figure out when they could best fit in lessons in advanced combat magic.

She left that evening feeling strangely happier.

 

* * *

 

“So… what is going on with you lately?” Ally asked, flopping onto a chair in their dorm room as she shot Nora a broad grin.

“What do you mean?” Nora looked up from her studies, raising an eyebrow at her best friend.

“I  _ mean _ that you are gone, like,  _ all the time _ now. Sooo… who is it? You’re out seeing a guy, aren’t you?” Nora must have paused too long, because Ally gave a high-pitched squeal and would have launched herself at Nora in her excitement if the other girl hadn’t held up her book in defense. “Come on, tell me who it is!”

“It’s not what you think,” she muttered, sighing before setting her work down. “I’ve been spending a lot of time at the library…”

“By library… you don’t mean the one on campus, do you?” Ally’s grin only broadened when Nora flushed. “Clandestine meetings in the Athenaeum… wait, are you and Vilos-?!”

“No! No, it’s not like that. He just… he’s been helping me with my magic. Teaching me some advanced spellwork, stuff like that.” She huffed out another sigh. “That’s literally all it is.”

“Wait… I knew you’d been going there sometimes, since we started here, but… this sounds like you’ve been going there  _ a lot _ . Why didn’t you tell me?”

“You were busy with your own stuff. Magic classes, regular classes… my brother,” she added the last while wrinkling her nose in mock disgust. “Which is still really demented and gross, by the way.”

Ally laughed at that, shaking her head. “You can give a whole speech about it at the wedding. But tell me more about this other thing! How long have you been taking these extra lessons?”

Honestly, Nora was surprised it had taken Ally this long to notice. It was almost Samhain, and the lessons had started not long after the spring equinox. Then again, she’d been just as busy; it was their last year of undergrad, and she and Spencer were engaged. That was a thing. “A few months,” she finally decided. “Since the spring?”

“And it’s Vilos giving you the lessons?”

“Well, who else? Do you know any other grumpy Wizards that live in a magic library?” she retorted teasingly. When Ally made to reply, Nora held up her hand to stop her. “I know he doesn’t actually live there.” Her best friend snapped her mouth shut, smirking. “That’s beside the point, anyway.”

“Right. The point is… you like him, don’t you?” Ally’s eyes sparkled. “I mean, you’re spending a lot of your free time hanging out in a library, talking to a Wizard, who is now suddenly helping you with your magic? You can’t try and tell me you don’t.”

“Not like I’d be able to hide it from you even if I did try.” She sighed, flopping back in her chair. “I do, but I’m pretty sure he doesn’t see me that way.”

Ally looked unconvinced. “What makes you so sure about that?”

Nora was quiet for a long moment as she thought it over. Did she have any proof that he didn’t see her as more than just… a friend? There were a lot of things that did point to him being friendly with her, at least. Allowing her to sit on his desk came to mind, but also just their conversations in general. Hell, he’d been the one to show her the book that sparked the lessons in the first place.

When no answer was forthcoming, Ally smirked again. “Uh-huh. So there’s a chance that he might. Look, I’ve told you before that he’s just kind of… awkward, right? I mean, yeah when we were younger, he had to keep us at a distance, but if you’re still going and chatting with him and he’s giving you  _ lessons _ , well… you have to admit he might be able to see you as more than a kid, now, right?”

“I mean… I suppose that’s true. But just because he’s friendly doesn’t mean anything.”

Ally rolled her eyes, giving a long-suffering sigh at her best friend. “I’m telling you, you’re probably overthinking things. Look, why don’t you show me your schedule, and maybe I’ll just… drop in when I have a chance. See how it looks.”

“Fine, fine. If it’ll keep you off my back about it.”

 

* * *

 

Nora had no idea  _ when _ Ally intended on ‘dropping in’, as she’d put it, so the next few times she met with Vilos for their lessons, a part of her was nervous, wondering if that would be the day. But it seemed like Ally had been caught up with work and wedding planning.

Which meant it was a little over a month later when her best friend finally decided to come by the library. Nora was relaxed, sitting on Vilos’ desk and chatting with him animatedly about one of her projects, so caught up in the conversation that she didn’t notice the door open or catch the way his gaze shifted to it.

“Ah, Miss Fisher, this is a rarity,” he said, gently interrupting Nora and bringing her attention to her friend. “Are you in need of assistance?”

Ally was standing, clearly biting back whatever amused statement was on her mind as she glanced between Nora and Vilos. “Nope, just wanted to come by and say hi! Haven’t been able to in a while.”

“In that case… I hear congratulations are in order.”

When she gave him a quizzical look, he smiled slightly. “Nora informed me of your engagement soon after it occurred.”

“Nora did, huh?” she asked, grinning as she emphasized her friend’s name. “Well, thank you. Spence and I are both very excited, though I’ve promised not to leave my best friend all alone in the dorm until the end of the school year.”

She joined them at his desk, her grin broadening as she approached. Nora could practically hear Ally’s thoughts as she glanced pointedly where Nora was sitting. “I hope I’m not interrupting anything?”

“Nope, not a thing. I was just telling Vilos about one of my projects for class.” She refused to be embarrassed at being caught sitting on his desk. It didn’t mean anything… did it? Surely she wasn’t the only one who did this.

“I see, I see. No lesson today?” At the Wizard’s quizzical glance, she shrugged. “I asked her where she’d been disappearing to so often a while back.”

“It was not a secret, at any rate,” he replied, though his cheeks seemed a little pink. “We do have a lesson scheduled for today, however, Nora is simply here early.”

“Not like I had anything else I needed to do,” she murmured, shrugging. “Aren’t you always telling me it’s good to take a break and clear my mind?”

He gave her a soft, fond smile. “I am at that. It is nice to know you do listen from time to time.”

Ally’s grin only grew broader as she looked between them. “You two really got close, didn’t you?” she finally asked, leaning against the desk. “I’m a little surprised, honestly.”

Vilos shot a pointed glance at her position, and she raised her hands up in surrender, snickering softly. “She has been here nearly every week since she began attending university. It would be more a feat if we had not become friendly in all that time.”

That did come as a shock to Ally; she hadn’t known the frequency with which Nora had been - well, not sneaking, exactly - off to the Athenaeum. “Every week? Really?”

When she turned her attention toward Nora, all she could do was shrug. “I like it here,” she offered, flushing when Ally crossed her arms and leveled a stare at her. “What? It’s true. I always have… and Vilos isn’t bad company.” That last was added quietly as she turned away, embarrassed.

“So, what, the two of you just sit and read in silence together? How did these lessons come about, exactly?”

“Sometimes, yes. As for the lessons… well, that is on me.” Vilos’ voice was gentle, directing Ally’s attention back to him. “She asked if I would recommend a book for her. I knew she had been studying combat magic, and thought she might enjoy a more advanced spellbook.”

“And he made me promise not to attempt any of the spells without some sort of supervision.”

“You could have asked me…” Ally almost seemed to be pouting. “I could have helped.”

“You were busy with your own stuff.”

“How many times do I have to tell you that that doesn’t matter? You still could have come to be about it!”

“Miss Fisher, be that as it may, there was no guarantee you knew these particular spells or the technicalities of casting them. While I did not outright say it, when I asked her not to attempt them unsupervised, I was… hoping she would come to me when she was ready.”

That admission seemed to startle both of the young women, but it was Nora who reacted first. “You did? I mean… why didn’t you just say so?”

“I… was unsure how you might react.”

Neither of them seemed to notice Ally as she stood and crept toward the door, closing it softly behind her. Their entire attention was on each other, Nora staring at him with wide eyes. “You wanted me to ask you…?” He nodded. “Why?”

She wasn’t sure he would answer her; Vilos seemed hesitant to speak. Nora was about to tell him not to worry about it when he hesitantly reached out, taking her hand in his. “I… I have grown accustomed to your presence. I enjoy having you around, and I did not… I did not want anyone else to instruct you. Not just because it is dangerous,” he added in a rush.

Her gaze was fixated on their hands, and she found it difficult to find words to respond. “So you… you…”

“I like you. As more than a friend.”

She wasn’t sure either of them could be more flushed than they were in that moment. Her cheeks felt like they were on fire, and Vilos didn’t look like he was faring any better. So Ally had been right, after all… A part of her was a little annoyed that her best friend had read the situation better, but the rest of her couldn’t be bothered to care. Vilos… liked her.

“Nora?” He sounded even more hesitant than before, if that were even possible.

Her hand shifted in his, locking them together as she gave his hand a gentle squeeze. “I am  _ really _ glad to hear that,” she said, a smile lighting up her face.

She wasn’t sure which of them moved first - wasn’t sure she cared, either - but his other hand was suddenly on her cheek, thumb brushing her skin, and they were kissing. Slow, gentle, hesitant, but kissing nevertheless, that evening’s lesson completely forgotten.


End file.
